‘Rise of the Content Machines: How Blogs Became a Secret Weapon’ – Entrepreneur

Christina Baldassarre says, ”

Content marketing has been around for centuries. Benjamin Franklin began publishing the journal Poor Richard’s Almanack to promote his print business back in 1732, Michelin launched the Michelin Guide back in 1900, and Jell-O began offering free copies of the Jell-O Recipe Book back in 1901.

Those fore-founders of content marketing had the right idea. Offer engaging and useful content to your customers, and it will boost sales, grow your community and increase brand loyalty. Jell-O’s sought-after recipe book contributed to more than $1M in revenue in just two years, and the Michelin Guides — with its cherished Michelin stars — are still widely used by drivers, travelers and foodies to this day.

In the Internet age, the entry barriers fell away but the quality and reputation of content marketing dropped dramatically. Instead of offering real value to the reader, we’ve seen the rise of clickbait and self-promotional articles.

Over the last few years, however, we have witnessed a content marketing renaissance from B2B and SAAS providers. The biggest names in these markets are creating content machines that provide real value to the reader, without focusing on direct ROI for their brands”.

Rise of the Content Machines: How Blogs Became a Secret Weapon

Entrepreneur